1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition and method for clean-up of blood spills and, more particularly, to the use of a solid, pulverulent composition for destroying pathogen activity and absorbing liquid in a blood spill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years it has become increasingly evident that direct or indirect exposure to contaminated blood is a major transmission mode for disease among patients and heath professionals. Although much has been written about the importance of asepsis in high disease risk environments, such as hospitals, most concern has been with control measures for bacterial and fungal contamination and considerably less attention has been given to control of viral infections. Yet, existing data indicates that viral infections, such as viral hepatitis type B, pose major disease problems and that many viruses, e.g., hepatitis B virus, are comparatively stable, particularly in blood plasma or serum, and are capable of withstanding exposure to wide ranges of temperature and humidity and a variety of chemical agents.
Inasmuch as the possibility of airborne transmission of viruses such as hepatitis is believed to be relaively small and since the consensus seems to be that exposure to contaminated blood is at least a major transmission mode for viral disease, an important companion to an active disease surveillance program is a vigorously enforced policy of immediate and thorough cleaning of all blood spills. To significantly reduce the risk of contamination, blood should never be allowed to remain on floors, walls, equipment, or other surfaces. In this connection, it has been found that hypochlorite solutions, among others, are effective virucidal agents for purposes of disinfection. The problem in their use has been devising a practical means for effectively applying the hypochlorite to the contaminated surface in a form which will optimize its disinfecting action. This problem is particularly acute in the case of blood spills on porous surfaces.
In the publication to W. W. Bond et al, Viral Hepatitis B Aspects of Environmental Control, 14 Health Laboratory Science 235 (October, 1977) it is taught that hypochlorite solutions having available chlorine concentrations in the range 500 to 5000 ppm are effective to destroy hepatitis B surface antigen reactivity and that the reactivity response of the antigen is at least indicative of the reactivity response of the hepatitis B virus. The antiseptic, germicidal and fungicidal properties of the hypochlorites have been well known for some time. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,813,109, Banks discloses a powdered antiseptic composition including a halogen generating substance combined with an absorbent medium, e.g., sodium hypochlorite and bentonite, particularly suitable for application to the human skin or mucous membrane surfaces. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,548, James discloses a paste or gel composition containing a source of hypochlorite ions, e.g., alkali metal hypochlorites, and a water absorptive clay comprising a synthetic magnesium silicate in which a proportion of the magnesium atoms are replaced by lithium atoms. The composition is said to have germicidal and fungicidal properties and to be useful for medical and veterinary purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,828 to MacMahon discloses a powdered composition containing calcium hypochlorite as a mustard gas decontaminating agent. Notwithstanding the varied disinfectant, germicidal and other uses for material such as the hypochlorites, no composition appears to be known from or suggested by the prior art which is effective, rapid and safe for inactivating pathogens in and faciliating clean-up of contaminated blood spills.